Muddy Waters
by TrishaBeakens
Summary: The Skyline Aquarium has been saved from the villains, but Danielle doesn't get a break just yet. She has to let go of her past and escape the muddy waters that drag her down. (2nd part of My Frozen Heart)
1. Chapter 1

Summer finally arrived pushing the winter blues aside. The ice and snow melted away and flowers poked out of the ground. Leaves grew back and animals came out to warm their bodies. My family decided to go up to our huge summer cabin for the weekend like we do every year.. I talked my Zachy-boo into going with me. I let the Kratt team tag along as well. Hey they're my friends so shush.

"Hey Chris look at _that_!" Martin pointed at the woods. A deer stood in the bushes and watched the group go by. Chris and Martin sat in the back with my brother T.D and his friend Corey. My uncle Max and grandpa Stan sat in the front while Max drove..

"Well son I would but my glass eye rolled into the floor. " Grandpa Stan stared at the floor. "Yep I only got one good eye sonny boy. Lost the other in-"

"Dad." Max pulled into the cabin driveway. Everyone else already arrived and were goofing off. Like me.

"WHAT." Grandpa shouted.

"TURN YOUR HEARING AID UP." Max shouted back.

"TURN MY EAR INFECTION UP?"

"NEVERMIND."

The brothers ran out of the vehicle and started going on a creature adventure. T.D groaned when he saw me.

"Hey Dani."

I picked up T.D and hugged him. He always hated it when I did and I was in the mood for playing. I dropped him and ran inside the gigantic cabin and out to the deck where the pool was. T.D laughed like an evil scientist and ran on the deck. He stopped but the deck floor collapsed plunging my brother into the pool. I laughed at my brother's misfortune. You have to admit it was hilarious.

"MOM DANI IS TRYING TO DROWN ME." He crawled out soaking wet. Poor baby whined to our mother and went inside.

"So this is what your family does?" Zach walked up behind me smiling. He always looked adorable when he tired being innocent.

"We also go hiking, fishing, to the huge picnic in SpringWater." I thought for a moment and shrugged. "We do alot of things here."

He hugged my waist and kissed the top of my head. "I guess I can do that for my girl."

I giggled while he continued kissing my cheek and neck. "Zachhhy not in public. "

Zach actually came for only one reason. And that reason was in his pocket.

Greg sat on the deck fixing the planks his stupid son broke. "Chris give me another nail."

"Alrighty Mr. Microtel." He fished one out of the box. Greg like Chris, he hated Zach but he really liked Chris. Of course Dani had terrible taste in men so she wouldn't know..

"Can I tell you guys something?" Zach sat with them on the warm deck.

"No. " Greg kept hammering and ignored his daughter's boyfriend. The guy _may _be rich but he was a wimp.

"What." Martin stuck his feet in the water.

"Well.." Zach took a small, black, silky box out his pocket. "I'm gonna ask Dani to marry me."

Greg accidentally hit his thumb with the hammer. "OW. Ugh listen boy we don't care."

"I do." Martin kicked his feet in the water joyfully.

"Shut up" Greg pushed him in the water. Martin fell in and then splashed Chris playfully.

"Oh hey, let me see the ring." Chris asked.

Zach handed the box to Chris.

"I **DARE **YOU TO SWALLOW IT." Martin got out of the pool. "I'LL PAY YOU."

"WHAT NO." Zach regretted giving it to green boy. They were trouble with a capital T.

"TOO LATE PAY UP. How do I get it out?" Chris poked his stomach. Huh this was a first.

"Wait a few days kiddo." Greg laughed. He really started to like Chris now.

Martin started to squeeze his brother's stomach. Maybe Chris would cough it up. Chris finally coughed a few minutes later and spat out the ring.

"That thing was inside meeee." Chris hugged his brother. "PAY UP BRO."

"Alright _fine_." Martin dug through his wallet to find twenty dollars. "Here."

"Great doing business with you." Chris saluted his brother and walked off to find the golf cart. Yes there was a golf course there. Only Greg and Stan used it for golfing. Everyone else used it for other wacky activities. Like paintball wars or tag in the dark.

Zach picked up the ring. Now the thing had to be sanitized before the dinner tonight. She could say no. Zach's mind went through the possibilities. He loved her so much and if she rejected him it would rip his cold heart in two. Shanni, Dani's mother, watched Zach walk up the steps and he sat at the table looking depressed.

"Honey what's wrong?" She pulled up a chair beside him.

"Danielle."

"Oh is she being mean to you?"

"No ma'm. I just... well... I want to propose to her tonight but.." Zach sighed and rubbed the top of his head. "She might say no."

"It's a fifty-fifty chance hon." She patted the worried genius on the back. "Just do what you think you should do and don't worry. She loves you."

Aunt Flo later arrived with Donita, Aviva, Koki and Jimmy. Diabo and Gourmand would come during the dinner because they had a slight accident with hot glue and feathers.

"Where's my darling diva?" Aunt Flo called out looking for Danielle.

"FLOOOO." I ran up to her and hugged her. After we met at the hospital we became close friends. She still wanted me to break up with Zach.. he was a villain after all.

Jimmy fell out of the SUV onto his face. Which probably hurt.

"Jimmy I hope you're not sleeping there." Koki stepped out and dragged her friend to the cabin. "Alright lazy pants get up."

"Jimmy it's getting darkkk. And there's food inside." Aviva poked the ginger cutie.

"Well I'll see you ladies later." Jimmy dashed inside to get away from the terrors of the deep dark night. The fireflies were already coming out, ready to play their flashing game.

"Jimmy you make the best brownies." Chris put his arm around his friend. "I swallowed a ring and got twenty bucks too."

"Dude I missed it?" Jimmy really wanted to see how that turned out. Well they had all weekend to do stupid stuff. Plus tomorrow was the annual SpringWater picnic. Bring on the food.

"Mom." T.D sat at the table beside Shanni.

"What."

"Let me say grace this time."

"That's fine hon."

"Mom he'll say 'oh please let my sister get turned into a rabbit.'" I sat between Zach and Aunt Flo. They were glaring daggers at each other. Come on you two behave for once. Sheesh.

"No I'll say 'please let my sister drown in a well.'" T.D snickered.

My brother and Corey did a bro fist and laughed. They had to be the most immature preteens I ever saw. My mother rolled her eyes and said grace herself. Martin sat between Chris and his lovely lady Donita.

"By the way darling I made you the cutest outfit for hiking." Donita pinched Martin's cheek.

"Oh god." Martin dreaded wearing it in front if his friends. He would get laughed at.

"Excuse me?"

"I said oh great. Thanks Dee. Heh heh."

"That's fabulous darling." She kissed his cheek and hugged him. I really thought the two looked cute together. Kinda punched my heart out. In a good way.

Zach stood up and looked at my mom. He looked sick to his stomach. Shanni smiled and mouthed the words 'do it'. Wait do what-

Zach suddenly turned to me and bent down on one knee. _Oh god no. _

"Dani I love you more than anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you..."

"Zach-" I felt my heart racing. I didn't expect him to pop the question. Not this soon...

"Will you marry me?" He took a small, black, silky box out of his pocket and opened it. He bought an engagement ring before we left. That's why he came with me. So he could propose..

I felt everyone staring a hole through me. If I said no I'd be the bad guy. If I said yes I might want to back out of it later. I lost either way. I couldn't break his heart.

"Yes Zach I will marry you." I faked a smile. Don't get me wrong, I loved him. Just ever since Nate left me a week before the wedding I lost my trust in people. I wished we could have talked about where our relationship was at before he proposed. Zach put the ring on my finger and hugged me tightly. Everyone at the table started clapping except for my dad and brother. I knew I was getting myself into deep muddy waters with this.

"_Muddy waters to and fro_

_Ripple the surface why do you go?_

_Unclear and silent_

_Is your only client_

_Muddy waters to and fro_

_Break the surface as you go"_


	2. Chapter 2

"Zach son, you need to hurry and get in the dang canoe." Greg shook his fist at his soon to be son-in-law. The guy had to be the most weirdest person he ever met. The boys decided to go down the river in two canoes. Legend said there was a huge waterfall at the end of the river. Other legends said of a triple waterfall, one after another. No one ever lived to tell the tale of Bloody Falls so no one knew how many waterfalls existed.

"Sir I think this is dangerous. " Zach sat in the canoe behind Dani's crazy uncle Max. He once made Danielle rock climb an active volcano.

"We live for danger." Max chuckled and pulled his long, brown, hair back in a ponytail. "You better get used to this if you wanna marry a Microtel." Greg said.

"I already regret it." Zach gave a soft sigh. His new family already was killing him.

"And where are you boys going?" I walked up to the group grinning.

"Hi Dani. To die." Martin said. He and Chris was beating each other with the paddles. As they say, boys will be boys.

"See Varmitech? They're cool about it." Max pointed out. "Unless you're... scared."

"ME SCARED? HA!" Zach grabbed a paddle. "Varmitechs laugh at fear."

"Honey you screamed at a spider." I smiled. He actually was a huge baby. Oh but he was mine so I guess I have to love every part of him. Even the ugly parts that he threw at the world.

"... See you losers later." Zach dropped the paddle, stepped out of the canoe and walked with me back to the cabin. Guess that trip didn't include Mr. Grumpypants.

"Now what does my little princess want to do?" Zach sat on the steps and held me in his lap.

" Not you." Okay I admit I was mean. We both were.

"Dani don't lie now."

"Zach I've lied before."

Zach stopped cuddling me and stared. "About what?"

"Umm... I never graduated high school. I dated my doctor, dentist, therapist..."

"Dani."

"I also-"

"Dani."

"What?" I looked at him. There's alot I kept from him.. so much he doesn't know. So much I never told a soul.

Zach hugged me again. "We'll fix that later."

"I love you." I hugged the cold-hearted villain back.

"I love you too but I don't want to go play paintball with your family."

T.D rolled by and held up a paintball gun. "Someone say-"

"NO." Zach and I yelled at him.

"Anyway Zach can I go to your bachelor party?" T.D made puppy dog eyes. Poor kid.

"Todd you're too young." Zach frowned at him. No way that little brat would be coming. The kid tortured him ever since he moved to the neighborhood. T.D snuck firecrackers in his mailbox. Zach found a skunk in his car and was pelted with snowballs every winter because of the kid.

T.D groaned and walked off. Maybe Corey would play with him or something

Zach watched my brother walk off. "NO no paintball war. I want to live for the next three years thank you."

"Zachy if you're on my daddy's team you'll be fine."

"What if I'm not?"

"You'll probably die."

He groaned and buried his face in the back of my blue summer dress.

"Zach calm down."

I only heard him mumbling something about politics and taxes. What does that have to do with paintball?

The clouds covered the sun, embracing us in a dark shade. It started to cool down but the wind was picking up at a steady rate. Huh that's odd.

"I think it's getting stormy." Shanni said as she walked out of the cabin drinking pink lemonade. "You two better come inside."

We followed her inside where the rest of the group had chairs around the flat screen TV, watching the news. They sat on the three couches and a few bean bags on the floor.

"Looks like a hurricane boys." Aunt Flo shook her head. "Too late to evacuate. Why did you buy a cabin close to the shore?" She looked at my dad.

Greg shrugged and continued telling Chris about the FBI. He had millions of tales about bombs, drug dealers, and even a secret mission at base seven, which no one knew existed. The cabin actually used to be a FBI hideout. We wouldn't find out until the cabin burns down in three years.

"I HAVE ARRIVED." Gourmand came in the door soaking wet. Which told me it was raining outside. Hard.

The lights started to flicker on and off. After a few minutes they finally went out.

"Are we dead?" I heard Martin voice's to the far left of me. Before the lights went out he was sitting at the table with Donita, Flo, and Jimmy.

"No Martino." Donita replied. "Darlings get a flashlight or candle."

"Stop flirting with us." Chris jokingly said from the couch. I heard him laugh and fall to the floor.

"If I could see I would hit you." She sounded mad.

I backed up to the wall and blindly looked for the flashlight that hung on the coat rack. My left hand found the rack but something sharp cut the palm of my hand and my wrist. I quickly pulled my hand back and held it with my right hand. I couldn't see how bad I cut it because of our lack of light.

"Found a flashlight." Aviva turned on a small flashlight. "We found the candles too."

Koki and Aviva lit a few candles which gave off enough light to see everyone. The lamp Martin found on the table helped too.

"Is everyone okay?" Shanni looked around. "Well you're all here."

"I hit my face." T.D had a huge red mark on his forehead. Dumb butt ran into a wall. Heh heh.

"I got inappropriately touched by Gourmand." Jimmy said.

"I couldn't see anything you strawberry." The chef snapped back.

I chuckled at the two and looked at my hand. There was a long cut that began at the bottom of my thumb and ended at my wrist. Blood dripped down my arm slowly. I cut it pretty bad. I whined. It felt like my wrist caught on fire.

"Oh Dani let me get the first aid kit." My mom hurried to the kitchen.

"Mom it's not that bad." Okay it actually started to hurt more. Okay, okay, mom hurry up with the kit. Please.

She came back with alcohol, cotton, and gauze. I took them from her and cleaned my wound. I wrapped the bandage around my wrist carefully. Hopefully the pain would disappear. Hopefully...

We all sat back in the living room, listening to the sound of trees hitting against the roof violently. I curled up to Zach trying to figure out how to handle the marriage thing. I had a hard time settling down. I moved a lot, not really staying in a serious relationship for long. I kinda didn't plan on getting serious with Zach, but it just happened.

"Are you okay?" Zach put his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. "You look sick."

"Just tired." I pulled the wool blanket closer to me. Apparently everyone decided to sleep in the huge living room. Which was fine with me. I liked sleepovers.

"Where do you want the wedding?" Zach petted the top of my head.

"What wedding?"

"Our wedding."

"Oh I forgot." I didn't forget.

"Ha ha. Seriously. You choose."

"Awe I get to choose?" I sat up and smiled.

"Yes because I choose the decorations. "

"Not black."

"Black and red."

"Zach."

"Dani."

I nudged him in the side. Okay, he can do the decorations. If we even stayed together that long... I grew really excited at the fact I get to plan a huge event and choose a white dress. Moving out of my house and into Zach's would be painful though. After I came back from college, I bought a small brick house not far from my mom's. I grew fond of the place. Not to mention I had alot of packing to do. I mean a lot. The number of shoes I had would take up two boxes. Hey I loved shoes. Don't you dare judge me.

"When we get back you can start packing and move in with me." Zach said. Oh no he can read my mind. I better think good things. Like unicorns or candy.

"That'll take foreverrr." I pulled on a string that hung from his black sweater.

"I'll get the Zachbots to do it." He frowned at my attempt to ruin his favorite shirt.

"Fine but we sleep in separate rooms until we're married." I stopped pulling on the string.

"Well you're no fun."

I sighed and rested my head on his chest. The sound of the rain falling made me sleepy. Zach wouldn't stop petting me and that made me even more tired.

The last thing I heard was the horrible sound of a tree crashing through the roof of the beautiful cabin.

It landed right in the living room.


End file.
